“Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?” (Matthew 18:32-33 NKJV) THE PARABLE OF THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT When Peter asked, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? He quickly suggested, “Up to seven times? Apparently, Peter thought he was being very generous by offering to forgive his brother seven times in one day. But, Peter was shocked when the Lord answered him, saying, I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” (Matt. 18:22 NKJV). Apparently, it would be impossible to have someone wrong or sin against you 490 times in one day. Jesus is simply saying there should be no limit to your forgiveness. The Lord Jesus further illustrated His answer with the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:23-25. The parable is about a servant who owed his master ten thousands talents (about fifteen million dollars). When he was unable to pay his debt, his master commanded that he and his wife and children and all that he had be sold, but when the servant fell down and begged his master for patience or more time to pay back, the master was moved with compassion and forgave him the debt. What a great mercy and forgiveness he received! Every sin is a debt. This is why the Lord Jesus teaches us to pray thus: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Matt. 6:12 NKJV). Although we could not settle our huge debts or atone for our sins, yet God forgave us all our sins on the account of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. What a great mercy and forgiveness we have received! God did not just forgive our sins or write off our debts, He also chose never to remember them again. God promised in His Word: For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. (Heb. 8:12 NKJV). Not only did God choose to forgive and forget our sins, He also chose never to deal with us as our sins deserve. He chose never to treat us as one time sinners or debtors. The Scripture confirms: “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.” (Psa. 103:10 NKJV). According to Jesus’ parable of the unforgiving servant, after his master has dealt mercifully with him, forgiving him and writing off his debt, the servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii (about fifty dollars). Although his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him for mercy and patience, he would neither listen nor pardon him. But, he took him by the throat and threw him into the prison till he would pay the debt. When the news got to the master, he was very angry and said to him, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?” (Matt. 18:32-33 NKJV). The truth is this: forgiveness is costly, though a free gift to the recipient or beneficiary. God’s forgiveness is a gift at Christ’s expense. Our human minds can never comprehend, calculate or imagine in full what it actually cost the Lord Jesus Christ to purchase or procure forgiveness of sins (past, present and future) for mankind. Afterwards, the master delivered the wicked servant to the tormentors until he also would pay all his debts. Many believers today are suffering unnecessarily in the hands of the tormentors because they would not forgive those who have hurt or wronged them as God has forgiven them. Among several lessons, the parable of the unforgiving servant clearly teaches us the following vital lessons: First, it is gross wickedness not to forgive those who sin against us: The servant who was forgiven his debt but refused to forgive his fellow servant his debt was described and addressed as “a wicked servant” by his master. The Scripture records: Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you? And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.” (Matt. 18:32-34 NKJV). When you also refuse to forgive anyone who has wronged, offended or hurt you even as God has forgiven you all your sins, you are nothing but a mere wicked servant. When you refuse to forgive someone who jilted, betrayed, raped, slandered, abused, cursed, or stolen from you; you are nothing different from the person, for you also have become a wicked and unforgiving person. Second, forgiveness is an act of love, mercy or compassion: This parable clearly reveals that forgiveness is a gift of love or unmerited favour. It is impossible to forgive without possessing a heart full of divine love. Forgiveness is a major expression of true love. It flows from a loving and compassionate heart. The Scripture reveals that the master forgave the servant who owed the debt he could not pay back because he was moved with compassion. Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.” (Matt. 18:27 NKJV). Did the servant deserve the forgiveness he received from his master? Not at all! Did he demand for it? Not at all! The Scripture testifies: The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all. (Matt. 18:26 NKJV). Although all that the servant passionately pleaded for was patience or more time to pay, yet his master wrote off all his debt, knowing that he would never be able to pay back. Therefore, he needed not to pay anything back. What a great expression of love and compassion! Anyone who hurts or betrays you don’t deserve your forgiveness; worse still, he may never even admit that he has wronged you or demand to be forgiven. Nevertheless, God expects you to demonstrate towards him the same love, mercy and compassion God has demonstrated towards you by forgiving him or her from your heart, without any reservation or resentment. What if you choose not to forgive? Brace yourself up to answer God on the judgement day when He will query: “Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” (Matt. 18:33 RSV). Jesus warns: But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matt. 6:14-15 NKJV). So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses. (Matt. 18:35 NKJV). The truth is this: forgiveness is costly, though a free gift to the recipient or beneficiary. God’s forgiveness is a gift at Christ’s expense. Our human minds can never comprehend, calculate or imagine in full what it actually cost the Lord Jesus Christ to purchase or procure forgiveness of sins (past, present and future) for mankind. The Scripture simply says: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Eph. 1:7 NKJV). Beloved, whatever it will cost you to forgive anyone who has wronged you is nothing in comparison to what it cost God to forgive you all your sins. Therefore, God expects you to forgive freely from your heart no matter how hurtful or painful you feel. You will surely experience unspeakable joy and peace when you forgive heartily. Are you still hurting, bitter and angry against someone who has wronged, offended, betrayed, or exploited you in the past? Are you presently struggling to forgive someone freely from your heart? What you need is a deep revelation of what it costs the Lord Jesus to purchase forgiveness of sins for you! When you focus on the Lord Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for your sins, you will draw the grace and strength you need to forgive heartily without any reservation or limitation. The Scripture admonishes: “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.” (Heb. 12:3-4 NKJV). “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matt. 6:14-15 NKJV). “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. (1 Pet. 4:8 NKJV). Prayer: My Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for forgiving me all my sins at the expense of Your Son, Christ Jesus. Help me Lord Jesus to demonstrate towards those who sin against me the same love, forgiveness, mercy and compassion you have demonstrated towards me, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 21:46:26 +0000
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